Boltless guy-clamp.



T. F. JOHNSON, JR.

BOLTLESS GUY CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6. 1918.

1 ,266, l 2 6 Patented May 14, 1918.

WlTN ESSES ATTOR N EY TOMLINSON FORT JOHNSON, JR., OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

BOLTLESS GUY-CLAMP.

Application filed February 6, 1918.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, TOMLINSON F. J OHN- SON, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Boltless Guy-Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to guy clamps of the bolt-less variety, and it has for its object to provide a simple device adapted to be quickly applied to a wire cable to form a loop therein in fastening the cable to an eye-bolt or around a pole, or for numerous other purposes, and especially in electric railway overhead work, where it is necessary to have a device that is capable of quick application and which may be readily released for tightening Or loosening the cable.

Another object is to provide a simple device of this character which may be cheaply manufactured by forging, punching or casting the members thereof from suitable metal, and, in the use of the same, by the simple operation of driving or hammering one of the members into coact-ive relation to the other, after properly applying the same to the strands of cable forming said loop, to securely hold and prevent the same from rendering or loosening through the clamping members.

A full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification; it being understood that while the drawing shows a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to strict conformity therewith, but may be changed or modified, so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as specifically pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, in which like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in each of the several figures Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved clamp shown applied to the looped end of a cable;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the device taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. i is a vertical sectional view taken Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Serial No. 215,659.

on the line -fL-4L of Fig. 3, and showing the action of the clamp upon strands of the cable comprising a loop in the end thereof;

5 is a detailed view of the clip comprising one of the members of the device.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated in Fig. 1 an improved clamp, construct d in accordance with the present invention, and shown applied to the looped end 1 of a cable 2, which may be indicative of a guy wire or cable to be used for connection in any desired manner. The loop is formed by merely bending the end portion 3 of the cable back upon itself to provide two substantially parallel strands, in a well known manner.

The clamp comprises a C-shaped clip 4 which may be suitably stamped, forged or cast from the proper metal, and comprises a body portion having the curved ends 5 which are directed toward each other in spaced relation to the body portion i to pro vide seats 6, for a purpose to be described. The terminals of the curved end portions 5 are spaced away from each other to form an entrance opening 7 which communicates with the said seats 6. and is of a width to permit of the two strands of the loop being introduced therein for the purpose of permitting the latter to become seated within the said seats 6.

The seats are provided with grooves or serrations 8 which are adapted to engage between the individual wires composing the cable 2 and to prevent any slipping of the latter therethrough, after the device is properly assembled, as will be described.

The clip is adapted to be arranged transversely to the two strands comprising the loop 1, and may be arranged thereon at any desired distance from the end of said loop, depending upon the article or device to be engaged thereby.

A twin wedge 9 is adapted to be employed in conjunction with the clip 4 to straddle the same, and consists of a pair of tapered wedges 10 joined at their thick ends by a lateraliy disposed head 11. The tapered wedges 10 are spaced apart to provide a slot 12- between the same, the said slot being of a width slightly larger than the thickness of the body portion 4 of the aforementioned clip. Furthermore, the thickness of the head 11 of the twin wedge 9 is considerably less than the width of the entrance opening 7 provided in the said clip.

The clip is adapted to be applied, as shown in the drawing, by iparately introducing the strands of the cable comprising the loop 1. through the entrance opening 7 of the clip, and permitting the said strands to spring apart to snugly engage the seats 6 having the grooves or serrations 8 therein to facilitate such engagement. The twin wedge 9 is then applied to the clip, with the wedge members 10 lying one above and 'one below the body portion l of the clip, and between the strands of the loop; By driving or hammering upon the head 11 of the twin wedge member 9, it will be seen that the wedge is forced between the strands of the loop, and the latter are caused to bend as indicated at 13, and thus provide a- 160king engagementwitlr the serrations within the cable seats 6 of the clip, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4e.

lVhen the wedge members are driven into their active positions, the head 11 will be located more or less within the entrance opening 7 of the clia, when it will be seen that any lateral play of the said wedge member is prevented by the walls of the said entrance opening 7.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a simple, cheap and efi'ective clamping device has been provided, which be quickly applied without the use of belts or other similar fastening devices to the looped. end of a cableto s cure the same from slipping, and that the same, when desired, may be readily removed therefrom by driving the twin wedge 9 in an opposite direction, as by hammering on the ends of the wedges l0 opposite to the head 11, when the taperingfaces of the said wedges 10 will permit the cable'to spring away from engagement with the seats 6, and the entire device may be easily removed. from the strands of the cable for the purpose of tightening or loosening the same.

In order to secure the free end of the strand 3, it is the common practice to have one of the wires composing the cable to extend beyond the other wirest-hereot' and to wrap the same around the main cable 2 a number of times, as indicated at ll, to hold the free end of the cable to the main part 2 thereof.

It willbe seen that the clip is very quickly appli'echand is easily released and fastened again, when it is desired to tighten or loosen the cable,- and it has been found especially useful in electric railway overhead work, as on trolley span wires and in guying poles, etc. The saving effected by its use is considerable, as the cost of manufacturing is very low, and it will beapparent that the same may be. made to tit any and all sizes oi steel cable, for the purpose set forth.

While the invention. is especially designed as a guy clamp, I desire it understood that the device is susceptible of wider applica tion. For instance, it may be employed to connect together two strands of wire or a pair of rods, and to this end, may be made in various sizes to suit the conditions of service.

What is claimed is:

l. A clamp comprising a clip member and a twin wedge member, the latter straddling the former.

2. A clamp comprising a CI-shaped clip member, and a twin wedge member straddling the clip member at the opening thereof.

it clamp including a clip member having seats, and an opening between the seats, and a twin wedge member straddling the clip member between said seats and closing said opening.

a. A clamp comprising a G-shaped clip having spaced seats and an entrance opening thereto, for the introduction or the article to be clamped, and a twin wedge member having spaced tapered wedges joined at their thicker: ends by a head,- said wedges being adapted to straddle the said clip and extend between the said seats, with the said head received in said entrance opening.

A clamp t'or holding aloop in a cable,

comprising a clip member having opposite seats to receive the'cable portions and an entrance opening leading thereto, said seats being of less diameter than the diameter of the cable so as tocause the latter to project into said opening, and a twin wedge member straddling the clip member and adapted to.

be (1 iven between said cable portions to force the same in said seats, said wedge member being received in said opening of the clip member when fully driven in place.

6. A clamp consisting of a clip having a pair ot'spaced seats for receiving and preventing the separation of two cable portions, an entrance opening communicating with the seats for the introduction of the said ca ble portions, and a wedge member comprising a pair of spaced, tapered wedges joined at their thick r ends by a cross-bar constituting a driving'head', said wedge members being adapted to straddle the clip and be driven thereon, with the wedges between the cable portions to maintain the same in said seats and the said cross bar within the said entrance opening to prevent relativelateral' movement of the parts.

7. A clamp for holding wire cable portions including a'tlat metal clip adaptedto surround the same and prevent'their lateral tween and to enter between the cable portions to separate and force the same into the said seats when the head of the Wedge is driven into the entrance opening of the clip.

8. A clamp for holding a loop in a Wire cable comprising a flat metal clip provided With an opening at one side edge and with a pair of spaced, serrated seats in communication with the opening, said seats being adapted to receive and engage the substantially parallel portions of the cable forming the ioop, and a Wedge member comprising a pair of spaced tapered wedges joined at their thicker ends by a head and adapted to receive the clip between the same and to pass between the portions of the cable to force them outwardly and into the said seats when the head of the Wedge is driven into the opening in the clip.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

TOMLINSON FORT JOHNSON, JR.

Witnesses:

P. C. HERAULT, E. B. HOOK, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

